


The Collected and Curated Treatise of Nicholas Flamel et. al.

by UdodeligUrningin



Series: The Calamitous and Clamorous Case of Hogwarts [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Original Work, Sector General - James White, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate History, Ancient History, Backstory, Idea Vomit, Magic, Scholarly Apostasy!, Souls, Worldbuilding, classification systems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2020-10-20 20:30:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20681495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UdodeligUrningin/pseuds/UdodeligUrningin
Summary: A series of short ideas, written by and for the characters of the rest of this series.  Details the history of species, origin of common and legendary magical beings, what magic is, magical demographics, terminology, and more!





	1. On the Origin of Goblins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the Origin of Goblins  
by Nicholas Flamel, written originally in1352, revised 1896

Goblins have been a ubiquitous facet of magical life since the Greek city state Athens allowed a small Fortress/Bank to be built under the acropolis. Within a century Goblin Fortress/Banks could be found in such diverse places as the Central American El Dorado, European Rome, and near Australia's Uluru. Each bank was identical to the brick, and seemed to have a limitless supply of gold and silver to create the first and only common currency of the world. In the entire two millennia that Goblin banks have united the economies of the world, they have only been successfully attacked once.

The Fall of the Roman Empire was a time of great upheaval, and during the sacking of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 a large band of shamans and werewolves were able to raid the roman Grin-gott. Among the chests of golden galleons and enchanted goblin steel was a single satchel of goblin writings. These writings defied translation for over 900 years but I, Nicholas Flamel of Immortal fame, have finally deciphered the Roman Grin-gott scrolls. What follows is an interpretation of Goblin history, beginning, approximately, in 1900 BC.

The magical capital of the Indus Valley Civilization was Manda. Manda was a moderately large bronze age settlement dominated by magicals, with a yearly tithe going to the larger city of Harappa for protection and to get all the magicals born in Harappan influenced cities moved to Manda when they were discovered. Despite being in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains they were the single largest supplier of foodstuffs to Harappa due to some very advanced magical agriculture. Unfortunately, like all ancient civilizations the Indus Valley Civilization was very dependent on aggressive agriculture to grow enough food to sustain itself. Even with magical assistance the soils and rivers of the Indus Valley could not support that level of exploitation forever. In early 1900 BC a sequence of destructive floods, unseasonable droughts, and locust swarms began the ecological collapse of Harappa, and eventually all of the Indus Valley Civilization. 

Manda was one of the last cities to notice and recognize the imminent danger. As a matter of course all refugees were turned away at the gates unless they could prove a magical talent, and with magic the soil continued to produce crops enough for Manda to thrive. When a starving Harappan envoy arrived at the gates with tales of the collapse of society and the dangers beyond their walls, the first King of the Goblins created a potion for the entire village. This potion twisted their bodies and magic into what we would call modern day goblins. Of course, the sudden appearance change caused quite a stir with their neighbors. Within the week three armies were on the way to reclaim the magic of Manda. 

At this point, the history from the translated books becomes intentionally muddied. The exodus could have occurred before or after the armies arrived. The size of Manda is never mentioned, but implied to number more than five thousand. Where the Goblins visited before resurfacing in Athens is completely unknown, although the fifth Dragon King arrived at Krakatoa clad in Goblin armor. 

In conclusion; Goblins began their history as a magical city of the Harrapan culture in the Indus Valley. They have deliberately obfuscated where they are and how many there are, but they almost certainly have an alliance with a Dragon King.


	2. An Interview with Dragon Kings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Interview with Dragon Kings  
By Salazar Slytherin (Translated from parsel-script by XXXXX Potter).

Dictaquill transcript of a conversation between Salazar Slytherin (S), Dragon King Gruph (G), and Dragon King Ellillilla (E). This is the second interview Slytherin had with Dragon King Gruph, as recorded in "An Interview with Dragonkind" translated last month. Dragon King Gruph is a Ukrainian Iron-belly, and Dragon King Ellillilla is an Australian Standing Dragon. 

Salazar: Thank you both for agreeing to meet with me, oh honorable Dragon Kings. I humbly offer you this herd of shorn sheep.

Gruph: See Elli! This speaker knows how to grovel! Try one of the black ones, much better flavor!

Ellillilla: Hmph. I can see the grovelling. What I don't think you can see is the shifty eyes and the frantically waving feather. SPEAK! Why did you request a second Dragon King (translation notes: religious and familial connotations).

S: This humble speaker was told by Dragon King Gruph that you are the eldest dragon in existence, able to remember before the Great Calamity (translation notes: a long string of words relating to luck, bad luck, danger, terror, hatred, hunger, and darkness). I only wish to learn about the before time.

E: Hmph. So you seek the knowledge of ancient peace? And why would one such as you desire this knowledge? It will not help kill your enemies, it will not give you power, it will not even direct you to ancient ruins to raid for treasure. All the magics only bring prosperity, all the histories are for other species, and all the ruins have long since crumbled into dust. Give me your answer and I shall give what you seek.

G: Told you he was the one to answer you. (Translation notes: garbled, interrupted with snapping bones and chewing noises)

S: I seek a noble bride. She is beauty beyond compare, wit beyond measure, and a devourer of facts. Her father is holding a contest for her hand; the person who brings in the fact or facts that impress her the most shall be allowed to court her. We have been friends since childhood, and I seek to be first in her affections. Unfortunately, I had already talked with Dragon King Gruph and excitedly shared that with her before this contest.

E: Hmm. A Worthier goal than I thought. Although completely beyond most dragons to comprehend. Very well, it is worthy of the tale of the Great Calamity. Now. Gruph has assuredly told you that he has seen over a thousand summers. You probably believe that I, being an Ancient to Gruph have seen two or three thousand summers. In reality, I have lost count. As the only living survivor of the Great Calamity, I have dealt with thousands of Dragon Kings, hundreds of Gruphs, and have told my tale so many times i think it has worn my claws to stubs. But I shall tell it again.

G: This is where Elli goes all mysterious and uses words that no longer work.

E: Shut up! Back on the wing. The Great Calamity began in the sky, a wondrous star that moved as we watched. Within days the great astronomers (translation notes: simultaneously highly regarded and lowest of the low connotations) predicted the end of the world. Immediately the herds were thinned, water was horded, plants stockpiled, and magical wards erected. Even from half a world away I could feel the shock when the star landed. The skies were coated in a black web that trapped all the light. The plants died. The herds died. The stored food was eaten. Magic was dying without the sun to nurture it and life to hold it. But there were still survivors. In the first year I lost my immediate clan, those dragons I shared blood from my grandparents with. In the next decade I lost all but three of my Coutra (translation notes: species defined as a population that can interbreed, with heavy eugenic emphasis). We were the strongest mages across the world. One of the others, I forget who, began to use their magic to grow wings and cannibalize the dead. 

G: You can skip ahead. I am eating here!

E: Fine. Anyway, there were four mages including myself left on the planet. Trapped by a web of darkness with only the dead for company. After a century we noticed that none of us were aging, beyond the wisdom of experience. After a millennium where the grass recovered and the biosphere began to right itself I proposed bring back our species. Another millennium passed before the first modern dragon was hatched, not from the body of a survivor, but from the mixing of magic of a survivor and another species. Of course, a modern dragon can birth eggs normally, but survivors such as myself can only form eggs from pure magic.

S: would it be possible for you to form an egg with a human mage?

E: Of course! Are you volunteering?

S: Yes.

E: Well, that was unexpected. Give me your magic little mage, any spell will do. And there you have it. Hmph. This dragon will have no wings or feet, might as well be a snake for all the draconic instincts it will have. Enjoy your child Little Mage. I am craving something a bit more homey for my meal.

G: Goodbye Sal! I'll try to talk to you soon! I simply must know how your contest turns out.

End Transcription.


	3. On the Fundamental Forces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the Fundamental Forces  
By Hermione Granger as an end of year extra credit assignment for Arithmancy , Third Year

In 1983 our mundane neighbors confirmed the fourth fundamental force, the Weak interaction. As a purely non-magical accomplishment this involved fifty years of study, funding, and dedication from some of the smartest men of the age. As any magical student of history could tell you, the Weak interaction was known to magicals as early as the ancient Greeks. Magicals in Athens, Thebes, and Rhodes independently discovered the Fairy Circle. The Fairy Circle is a spell that can be cast on an individual, place, or thing and appears as a wire-frame sphere made of light. The sphere is shattered into 9, equal sized, shard groupings. These shards represent the relative strength of the fundamental forces of our universe, and are a common tool for new spell research or criminal investigation. The number of shards in each grouping corresponds to the first seven prime numbers, and one.

The first two shards are identical, and combined are two ninths of the sphere. Interchangeably, they represent the Strong and Weak interactions found by mundanes. These forces are completely and totally immune to magic; meaning that magic in our universe cannot cause radiation, electron decay, or transmutation. 

The twinned grouping (two shards), contains the Electromagnetic force and Vita. Vita is the force that animates objects; all living creatures have some Vita when a Fairy Circle is cast on them, but no object has Vita even if it is transfigured into movement.

The tripled grouping (three shards), contains the Past, Present, and Future forces. These forces are unique in that they change in response to events that happened in that location without visible cause and effect. For example, prophecies are made when the future force, present force, and three of the soul forces resonate. This can only occur in certain locations at certain times with certain people, and even then the future is invariably vague and open to interpretation.

The grouping of five shards are strongly related to the motion of spells, how fast a spell moves, and if an enchantment can be moved at all. Predictably, these shards are labled Up, Down, Left, Right, and Forward.

The seven shard grouping is actually color coded in modern Fairy Circles, with the appropriate shard colored to match the force it represents. These forces variously inhibit or promote the power or force of magic, both cast and inherent. Each color inhibits or promotes a specific subset of forces from the 13 and 17 groupings, with different relative power creating different mixes. These forces are called Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.

The eleven shard grouping contains the force of Gravity and ten forces that are simply numbered One to Ten. These numbered forces, collectively, are called the Soul Shards, because they can be used to directly measure a person's soul. Study of the Soul Shards is classified by all magical governments as an unforgivable dark art, because to study soul shards requires you to alter soul shards in other people. The modern versions of the unforgivable spells were created by Soul Shard researchers embedded in the Spanish Inquisition. It is believed that magical power and the ability to cast spells is related to a single Soul Shard. 

The last two groups are difficult for novice or journeyman level spell researchers to distinquish, and since the 30 shards are the bedrock for almost all modern spells, they are treated as a single super-group. These forces run the gamut from altering the energy of evaporation (i.e. a drying charm) to altering the spacetime background dynamically (a space expansion charm). 

(what follows is 10 pages of pure math that describes the best way to convert a Fairy Circle to a matrix of standardized values, as compared to the Weak and Strong shards).


	4. Containment Breach at K-2 Facility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Containment Breach at K-2 Facility  
Report compiled by Horcrux Research Security team 3 commander Stone-Bite

Sometime before moonset on the 183rd night of the year 956 after transformation, two subjects escaped from deep containment.

Subjects Crow-Flame 1 and 2, ate their containment chambers, evaded three security sweeps, and escaped in the garbage elevator. Temporary security measures have closed all but one garbage elevator and a constant security oversight is present.

Crow-Flame 1, a female Caledonian Crow's soul transferred into a magically enhanced flame via horcrux ritual A, has a history of escape attempts. These escape attempts were all ended by the second security sweep and so no further measures were taken to ensure site security. Crow-Flame 2, a male Caledonian Crow's soul transferred into a magically neutral flame via horcrux ritual B, was only placed in containment the day before the breach. Crow-Flame 1 has displayed the ability to consume anything physical, while Crow-Flame 2 has displayed the ability to slowly drain any magic within two feet.

Neither subject has exhibited violent or harmful tendencies aside from the normal dangers associated with being made of flame. 

Given that the K-2 facility has had eight major security breaches in the last decade, it is the recommendation of Commander Stone-Bite that all research in the K-2 facility be moved to the Shangri-La site and the K-2 facility decommissioned. While this latest breach is unlikely to cause widespread destruction and death, the two prior breaches (Subject Leech-Skeleton 3 via unlocked cage and Patient 1, codename Obscurial, via apparition) show an inability by Searchers to predict potential dangers of their experiments. Shangri-La, in its 500 year history as a Searcher Temple, has had three breaches, two of which were controlled immediately.

In addition, it is the recommendation of High Searcher Opal-Bone that no further testing is needed before goblin trials can begin. Patients 2, 3, 4, and 5 have been successfully cured and have agreed to provide memories of their experiments.


	5. Notes on Inter-universal fundamental forces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notes on Inter-universal fundamental forces  
By Hermione Granger-XXXXXXXX, After the Shattering of Hogwarts

First off, Fairy Circles still work. Even though this is not earth, this is not the same universe as earth, and there appears to be six less fundamental forces than on earth, Fairy Circles still let us see what the hell is going on.

In our home universe, the magical forces are grouped in primes. With most of the magical manipulation happening via the weakest purely magical forces. This universe we are currently in, aside from having big noisy caterpillars for neighbors, groups the magical forces by Fibonacci numbers. 

The most important change we have noticed so far is that there are two additional Soul Shards. No idea what they do or how that changes souls that arrive in this universe instead of are born here, but exhaustive Fairy Circle analysis shows that Fundamental forces 11 and 12 are being negated by our implanted philosopher's stones. Given that they are the luckiest accident rocks ever, I am going to say that 11 and 12 would be a very bad thing to most magic users (starting with cells bursting and moving up in pain from there).

In addition, the fundamental forces of Alcohol, Carob, Second, Rain, Sand, Fire, Glass, Silt, and Gravel are missing. Since they came from both magically significant groupings all of our spells will need to be re-calculated and rediscovered before we can use them. 

OH! and the rainbow forces have an eighth color: Light Blue. 

Luckily, Hogwarts stone is still magically active, so at least we will have a place to live while I rework all our spells.


	6. On Veela

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Veela  
By Nicholas Flamel, of Immortal Fame, written originally 1348, latest revision 1961

Veela are a secretive cult that has existed since the Roman Empire. Just for writing that line I will be banned from both Veela Southern France and Veela Southern Italy. Secrecy on the origin of veela has been a watchword since the Roman Empire fell, but I say it is time to let the world know where their avian overlords came from! I recently acquired the estate of a collector of Roman artifacts from the sacking of Rome, and spread across thirteen journals and bureaucratic binders was the true origin of the Veela.

Initially created as a publicity stunt by King Numa Pompilius in 683 BC, the Vestal priestesses were dedicated to the roman Goddess Vesta, the Goddess of the Heart. A Priestess of Vesta was chosen between 7 and 10 years old, taught to the highest standard of the land, and was held to 30 years of service and chastity. During the investiture of the first seven Priestess of Vesta, a "Messenger of Vesta" appeared inside the holy flame and gifted the priestess with a feather that burned, and placed it within them. Paring off the flowery language, it can be infered that the "Messenger of Vesta" who appeared to Gegania, the first Vestal Virgin, was a pheonix.

The important thing to note is that each of the first seven Priestesses were non-magical and from non-magical families. After the investiture of the Priesthood they were seen to perform magical feats that terrified the magicals of the time. Conjuring flame with a wave of their hand, transforming themselves into avian terrors that could fly, and enthralling all of their close companions to serve them simply because they were Veela. The "messenger of Vesta" never appeared again, but when a Vestal died their body spontaneously combusted, leaving behind two burning feathers. One of these feathers was placed in the Sacred Flame under the College of the Vestals, and the other was used in the investiture ritual for the next priestess.

For the first three hundred years magicals stayed as far away from the Vestal Virgins as they could. This separation ended when a first generation witch was selected as a Vestal. The exact wobbol or accidental magic that occurred is not known. What is known is that Aemilia became the first True Veela. Under Aemilia's leadership all of the next generation of Vestals were magicals, with each priestess receiving a different flame-line (each feather burned with a different flame, which was shared with all their descending feathers). Aemilia also began the creation of Veela Southern France and Veela Southern Italy, starting the sacred fires there with two feathers from each feather-line. 

All veela can summon fire, enthrall people, and transform into avian forms. True Veela are gifted with much stronger versions of each and a special power. Each feather-line has a separate "power". The nature of these powers is such that everyone in the world should be grateful there can be only one True Veela of each line at a time. From personal observation in Veela Southern France, the red feather-line has the power to alter emotions. This can be good to get people to admit their true feelings or pacify a dangerous individual, but it can also be used to turn assassins against each other, turn invading armies to violent brawls, or spies into loyal servants of the Veela.


	7. The Bezore and its Most Important Interaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bezore and its Most Important Interaction  
By Lavender Brown, Fifth Year Griffindor

Bezores are the most common form of magical panacea used in England currently, and have been since their discovery in Ancient Greece. Like most potion ingredients there are different grades of bezore. A true bezore is the single stone found in the stomach of a magical goat, which can only be removed after death. The most common bezore grade used in potions is the mundane bezore, which is any stone found in any goat's stomach after death. This grade has none of the inherent magic of the true bezore, and so it cannot negate the potion before it is consumed.

A true bezore, when placed in the mouth, is able to negate most potions, toxins, and diseases that enter the body through the mouth. Doing so does not use up a bezore, and since the price of a genuine bezore can be more than most families make in a year it is not uncommon for a family to have a single bezore that is passed down the generations. A true bezore is always a perfect sphere, with a single chip removed. When viewed with a Fairy Circle or any other magical sensor it shows as a complete magical blank, with a slightly higher Past force than background.

A common medical treatment in the Hogwarts Infirmary is the placement of a true bezore from the founder's era on the tongue of anyone brought in. This does cure the vast majority of patients suffering from prank potions or who have become drunk, but a side effect of this common treatment is the complete negation of most forms of sterility potions. 

Sterility potions are the most common form of birth control available in Hogwarts, being given out by the Infirmary upon request. Their limited duration and the side effect of halting a woman's cycle make them the preferred method of birth control even outside of Hogwarts. The ease of brewing and the common potion ingredients make them a fixture of Magical Britain. 

However, the most common version of sterility potion works by tricking the body into thinking it has been poisoned. This magical trickery is completely undone by a true bezore, and many of the potions that contain mundane bezores as well. This is not warned of before a bezore is given, and so there have been three cases in the last fifty years in Hogwarts alone of someone being given a bezore and becoming a parent. 


	8. Magical Photography

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magical Photography  
By Colin Creevy

Magical Photography is just so much more awesome than muggle photography, though the share many of the fundimentals.

Muggle photography, as taught by my father, uses photoreactive chemicals embeded in a sheet to capture the light that passes through a lense as a negative, or reverse color, image.

Magical photography uses the seven color coded magical forces to gather in the atmosphere, the zeitgeist, the moment, and lock that feeling into a single pane of glass.

The most obvious part of a magical photograph is the flash. A loud, bright flash of near blinding light, this is caused by the camera's enchantments sending a large amount of magic out into the area to sample all seven of the color forces. The magic is then immediatly drained back into the camera, and forced through multiple crystal lenses into a plate of prepared glass.

The glass is prepared by taking normal sheet glass (muggle or magical) and painting the runes for memory and light on the side not exposed to the lenses. The crystal lenses can be any size or color, though larger lenses make a better quality picture, and colored lenses reduce that color of magic applied to the plate (and the different colors match different emotions).

After the plate has been infused, the next step is to use some sympathetic magic to induce the color forces of pieces of paper to match the color forces of the plate. This is accomplished with a two step ritual and a ten ingredient potion using the gemini charm. Again, the larger the plate; the higher quality the pictures can be.

Usually, the process of turning the plate into paper pictures destroys the plate. However, the magical papers and magazines use a variant ritual that has five stages to recover the plate for their records.


	9. A Brief Description of British Magi-Geopolitics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Brief Description of British Magi-Geopolitics  
By the English Ministry of Magic: Tourist Division, Last Updated 1989

Magical England is an ancient enclave, with roots in the Roman city of Londinium. The first 'Diagon Alley' was a single Roman street that was enchanted to only be seen by Roman Mages, despite bisecting the city. This ancient Diagon was allowed to lapse when the Romans retreated from Britain, the enchantments sinking into the street and fading away.

Shortly after Merlin rose to prominence in the England, driving the Vikings from his holdfast near the ruins of Londinium, magical people and animals journeyed to his lands for safety. When the number of refugees became far more than his lands could support, Merlin reinvented the charms of the Roman Diagon Alley, and converted them to a runic script in his native Celtic. These runes of ignorance form the basis of most magical enclave wards to this day.

When Alfred the Great ordered the restoration of Londinium in 886, fully half of the roads of London were paved with magical bricks. These runic bricks were updated in 1066 with Norman magic, bringing the ability to spread themselves gradually wherever there is a road. When the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, passages were included in the magical version that allowed for a distinct and forced separation of governance between the magical and muggle worlds at the cost of removing the 'always on' Norman expansion runes. By this time Diagon Alley had already become the largest magical enclave in the world, with a total area greater than 100 square miles. 

When the Black Death arrived in England, all magicals fled to the safety of the three large enclaves (Diagon Alley, Hogwarts Valley, and Annwn). This abandonment of the countryside created a great desire for houses in Diagon that appeared to exist in their own worlds. These houses were simple enough to create the space for, but the price of covering the cobblestone with soil and plants bankrupted many ancient houses. For a time these land-houses were kept afloat by virtue of being the only reliable source of food for Diagon, but the peace treaty of 1707 with Hogwarts Valley destroyed their monopoly.

Sites of particular importance and visual splendor include the Ministry of Magic building, the Welcome Walk (featuring Olivander's Wands and the London Gringotts), Malfoy Manor, and The Burrow. The Ministry is situated on the very spot where Merlin laid the first brick of Diagon, and has a temple of his surviving works where tourists can learn about the greatest Magical of England. The Welcome Walk is the only location where Muggle London can be accessed, and serves as the primary shopping district of Diagon. Malfoy Manor and The Burrow are two of the largest land-houses still extant, with rolling hills and their own weather wards. Malfoy Manor was purchased by the Malfoys when the original owners defaulted on a loan from Gringotts. The Burrow has been in the Weasley family since 1352, and from the 14th to the 17th century provided three quarters of London's food demand.


End file.
